Chinese oil giants win Brazil offshore auction

Deal expected to boost cooperation between China and oil rich South American country

Chinese oil giants are eyeing an expanded presence in Brazil, winning holdings in three blocks awarded in Brazil's deepwater oil auction in a historic opening of the pre-salt play to foreign operators.

Consortiums comprising China's three major oil giants, China National Petroleum Corp, China Petroleum & Chemical Corp and China National Offshore Oil Corp, have respectively won three blocks recently, deepening the energy cooperation between the two countries.